- By Deeksha Gour
- Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:48 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bengaluru News: A former employee of a Bengaluru-based startup has taken to Reddit to share his experience of alleged workplace harassment that he claims led to a medical emergency during a video meeting.
Posting anonymously, the individual said he worked as a Junior Data Scientist at a small events discovery startup in Bengaluru in 2024. He alleged that the company’s CEO, who had no technical background, constantly interfered in projects, micromanaged tasks and imposed unrealistic deadlines. According to him, the CEO often lost his temper and subjected him to verbal abuse when tasks did not meet his expectations.
The Reddit post, titled "I had a complete breakdown during a work video call because my CEO kept screaming - still dealing with the trauma", details how the employee endured nearly seven months of what he described as “relentless psychological harassment.” He claimed that the CEO forced him to report directly, bypassing his actual manager and regularly criticised him during meetings.
"He wanted explanations for everything and if he didn’t understand something technical, he would scream. It became a daily pattern,” the employee wrote. He also shared that he was often singled out, possibly because of his quiet nature and physical appearance.
I had a complete breakdown during a work video call because my CEO kept screaming - still dealing with the trauma
byu/energized_maverick inIndianWorkplace
He further claimed to have worked 12 to 14 hours daily, including weekends, taking only two sick days during the entire tenure. However, his efforts reportedly went unacknowledged, with the CEO frequently finding faults and belittling him.
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The situation escalated when the employee decided to resign. During an online meeting held a week later, the CEO allegedly launched into another verbal attack, which triggered a panic episode. “I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened and I collapsed,” he wrote. His mother, who overheard the incident, rushed him to hospital.
Even after resigning, the employee claimed the HR department made the exit process difficult. He alleged that the HR personnel downplayed his health emergency and treated standard documentation like the experience letter as a favour.
Ending his post, the Reddit user urged others in toxic work environments to prioritise their mental health and not suffer in silence.